Fastening system for a ring binder mechanism

Abstract

A ring binder mechanism comprises an elongate housing, at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper, and at least one mounting structure associated with the housing. The mounting structure has a first end adapted for attachment to the housing and a second end having an aperture therein. A fastener is adapted for reception through the mounting structure aperture at the second end for securing the housing to a substrate.

1 . A ring binder mechanism comprising: 
 an elongate housing;    at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper, the ring including first and second ring members, each of the ring members being supported by the housing for movement relative to each other between a closed position in which the ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf paper retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position wherein the ring members of the ring form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf paper from the ring;    at least one mounting structure extending outwardly from the housing and having first and second ends, the first end being adapted for attachment to the housing and the second end having an aperture therein;    a bearing element having an opening therein, the bearing element having a width greater than the width of the mounting structure at the second end; and    a fastener adapted for reception through the bearing element opening and through the mounting structure aperture at the second end for securing the housing to a substrate with the bearing element generally interposed between the second end of the mounting structure and the substrate.    
   
   
       2 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the bearing element has a greater surface area than the second end of the mounting structure for distributing a load associated with the securement of the housing to the substrate.  
   
   
       3 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the bearing element includes a central cup-shaped portion sized and shaped for receiving the second end of the mounting structure.  
   
   
       4 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 3  wherein the bearing element further includes an annular flange extending generally around the cup-shaped portion.  
   
   
       5 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the bearing element opening is located in the cup-shaped portion.  
   
   
       6 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the bearing element is substantially flat.  
   
   
       7 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the bearing element comprises a spring washer.  
   
   
       8 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 1  wherein a portion of the fastener is resiliently deformable and has a width greater than a width of the aperture in the mounting structure so that when the resiliently deformable portion of the fastener is pushed through the aperture in the mounting structure, the deformable portion of the fastener deforms thereby allowing the portion to pass the aperture, the deformable portion of the fastener being adapted to substantially return to its original width after insertion through the aperture in the mounting structure to inhibit withdrawal of the portion from the mounting structure.  
   
   
       9 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the fastener comprises a shaft and a head attached to an end the shaft, the shaft having at least one rib extending around at least a portion of the circumference of the shaft, the rib of the shaft being spaced from the head.  
   
   
       10 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 9  wherein deformable portion of the fastener includes the rib.  
   
   
       11 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the mounting structure comprises a barrel bushing, the barrel bushing being adapted to space the housing away from the substrate when the housing is attached to the substrate.  
   
   
       12 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the rib of the fastener is adapted to contact the barrel bushing, and the head of the fastener is adapted to contact the substrate to thereby affix the barrel bushing to the substrate.  
   
   
       13 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the fastener comprises a bolt having a threaded shaft and a head attached to the shaft.  
   
   
       14 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the mounting structure has threads adjacent its second end for engaging the threads of the bolt.  
   
   
       15 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 1  in combination with a cover defining the substrate.  
   
   
       16 . The combination as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the cover comprises a front panel, a back panel, and a spine, the front and back panels being hingedly attached to the spine so that the panels are movable to selectively cover or expose loose leaf pages capable of being retained by the ring binder mechanism, the cover receiving the fastener for attaching the ring binder mechanism to the cover.  
   
   
       17 . The combination as set forth in  claim 16  wherein the cover includes at least one aperture positioned for allowing the deformable portion of the fastener to pass the aperture to the bearing element and mounting structure.  
   
   
       18 . The combination as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the cover further comprises at least one circular recess and the cover aperture being located in the recess.  
   
   
       19 . A ring binder mechanism comprising: 
 an elongate housing;    at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper, the ring including first and second ring members, each of the ring members being supported by the housing for movement relative to each other between a closed position in which the ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf paper retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position wherein the ring members of the ring form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf paper from the ring;    at least one mounting structure associated with the housing; and    a snap fastener constructed for snap connection with the mounting structure to secure the ring binder mechanism to a substrate.    
   
   
       20 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 19  wherein the fastener includes a resiliently deformable portion adapted to deform and recover upon engagement with the mounting structure for snap connection therewith.  
   
   
       21 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the mounting structure includes an aperture, the fastener deformable portion having an undeformed width greater than a width of the aperture, the deformable portion being received through the aperture when the fastener connects mounting structure to the substrate.  
   
   
       22 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 21  wherein the fastener comprises a shaft and a head attached to an end the shaft, the shaft having at least one rib extending around at least a portion of the circumference of the shaft, the rib of the shaft being spaced from the head.  
   
   
       23 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 22  wherein deformable portion of the fastener includes the rib.  
   
   
       24 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 22  wherein the mounting structure comprises a barrel bushing, the barrel bushing being adapted to space the housing away from the substrate when the housing is attached to the substrate.  
   
   
       25 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 24  wherein the rib of the fastener is adapted to contact the barrel bushing, and the head of the fastener is adapted to contact the substrate to thereby affix the barrel bushing to the substrate.  
   
   
       26 . A ring binder mechanism comprising: 
 an elongate housing;    at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper, the ring including first and second ring members, each of the ring members being supported by the housing for movement relative to each other between a closed position in which the ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf pages retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position wherein the ring members of the ring form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf pages from the ring;    at least one mounting structure extending outwardly from the housing and having first and second ends, the first end being adapted for attachment to the housing; and    a fastener selectively engageable with the second end of the mounting structure for securing the ring binder mechanism to the substrate, at least one of the fastener and mounting structure being formed for nondestructive disengagement of the fastener with the second end of the mounting structure for releasing the ring binder mechanism from the substrate.    
   
   
       27 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 26  wherein the fastener is a bolt having a head and a threaded shaft attached to the head.  
   
   
       28 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 27  wherein the mounting structure has threads adjacent its second end for engaging the threads of the bolt.  
   
   
       29 . A method of attaching a ring binder mechanism to a cover to form a ring binder, the ring binder mechanism comprising a housing including at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper thereon and at least one mounting structure extending outwardly from the housing, the mounting structure having an aperture and the cover having at least one aperture therein, the method comprising the steps of: 
 positioning a bearing element having an opening relative to the cover so that the opening in the bearing element is generally aligned with the aperture in the cover;    aligning the aperture in the mounting structure of the ring binder mechanism with the opening in the bearing element and the aperture in the cover; and    inserting a fastener through the aperture in the cover, the opening in the bearing element and the aperture in the mounting structure to thereby secure the ring binder mechanism to the cover.    
   
   
       30 . The method as set forth in  claim 29  wherein the step of positioning a bearing element comprises placing a cup-shaped portion of the bearing element in a recess in the cover.  
   
   
       31 . The method as set forth in  claim 29  wherein the step of aligning the aperture in the mounting structure of the ring binder mechanism with the opening in the bearing element includes securing the mounting structure to a central cup-shaped portion in the bearing element.  
   
   
       32 . A ring binder mechanism comprising: 
 an elongate housing;    at least one ring for mounting loose leaf paper, the ring including first and second ring members, each of the ring members being supported by the housing for movement relative to each other between a closed position in which the ring members form a substantially continuous, closed loop for allowing loose-leaf paper retained by the ring to be moved along the ring from one ring member to the other, and an open position wherein the ring members of the ring form a discontinuous, open loop for adding or removing loose-leaf paper from the ring;    at least one mounting structure extending outwardly from the housing and having first and second ends, the first end being adapted for attachment to the housing and the second end having an aperture therein;    a receiver affixed to the mounting structure, and    a fastener adapted for connection with the receiver for securing the housing to a substrate.    
   
   
       33 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 32  wherein the receiver is a threaded socket and the fastener is a threaded bolt adapted for connection with the threaded socket.  
   
   
       34 . The ring binder mechanism as set forth in  claim 32  wherein the receiver is formed as one piece with the mounting structure.